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An 'infamous' criminal - dubbed Purple Aki - who was jailed for harassing a number of young men in St Helens has launched an appeal to overturn an order banning him from squeezing people's muscles.

Akinwale Arobiele kept what he called a ''stalker's manual'' containing details of young men he became fascinated with. The 46-year-old was jailed for six years in 2003 for 16 counts of harassment and has been known to the police for years because of what he admits was an ''unusual interest in muscles, the development of muscles and the potential of young men to improve their physique''.

He was released from prison in 2006 - after racking up several complaints from other prison inmates and warders - and Merseyside Police immediately applied for a sexual offences prevention order against him. The order, which was granted by magistrates in Liverpool, banned him from entering St Helens as well as engaging in a number of bizarre activities, including asking people to perform squat thrusts and touching muscles.

But now Arobieke, who has never been convicted of a sex assault, is bidding to have it quashed through a civil court hearing at Liverpool Crown Court. He believes the magistrates made the order illegally and its terms were too punitive.The case against Arobieke, formerly of Cavendish Gardens, Toxteth, Liverpool, is outlined in papers given to Judge William George, who is sitting with justices and without a jury.

Kenderik Horne, on behalf of Merseyside Police, said: ''During the course of the investigation into the St Helens and Warrington offences, the appellant was arrested and his home searched.''Police found numerous photographs of powerfully-built young men with personal details of the men and their families; copious hand-written notes in relation to other young males around the country including body part measurements and an address book (referred to as the 'stalker's manual') with an index of contact numbers including previous and ongoing victims, electoral roll numbers and victims' personal details.''

As well as being banned from feeling muscles and asking people to squat, under the Sexual Offences Prevention Order Arobieke is also forbidden from approaching under-18s; working with under-18s; driving unless the make, model and colour of the car are notified to police; going near schools, colleges, and universities without written permission from Merseyside's Chief Constable; entering or loitering around sports clubs and gyms and leaving Liverpool without telling the police.

Giving evidence from behind a curtain, a bodybuilding champion told the court Arobieke felt and prodded his muscles over three years. He said the attention culminated in 1996 when on holiday in Tenerife and Arobieke stabbed him, for which he needed hospital treatment.Arobieke's barrister Rob Wynn-Jones, whom he repeatedly beckoned during proceedings, denied the accusations, saying they were prompted by a fall-out the bodybuilder had with Arobeieke's brother.

He said: ''You knew his reputation as Purple Aki and the stories that were going around.''Such is his reputation as Purple Aki that at last weekend's Glastonbury festival a huge purple flag could be seen featuring Arobieke's police mug shot and a defamatory allegation, and he even has a page on the internet site Wikipedia.Mr Wynn-Jones said: ''He became a local celebrity, infamous among younger members of the community.''The hearing which is due to go on until Friday was adjourned until tomorrow.